


don't you trust me?

by ConvenientAlias



Category: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra | Phantom of the Opera & Related Fandoms, Le Fantôme de l'Opéra | Phantom of the Opera - Gaston Leroux
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-12
Updated: 2018-08-12
Packaged: 2019-06-26 14:26:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15665019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConvenientAlias/pseuds/ConvenientAlias
Summary: Raoul sails to Antarctica in two weeks. Nadir isn't happy about this.





	don't you trust me?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [generalsleepy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/generalsleepy/gifts).



“I sail in two weeks.”

“That soon?”

“Yes.”

Then he must have known sooner, but chosen not to tell Nadir anyways. Probably because he knew Nadir wouldn’t be happy. And Nadir isn’t happy.

“I told you to find a way out of it.”

“One doesn’t just quit the navy, Nadir.”

Nadir hates when Raoul uses that superior tone with him. It’s so aristocratic and so artificial. “When _one_ is a member of the aristocracy and _one’s_ brother is the Comte de Chagny, _one_ can usually pull a few strings so one doesn’t get sent off to the Antarctic!”

Raoul crosses his legs. He’s sitting on Nadir’s couch and leaned all the way back, hands behind his head. Obviously he’s not as relaxed as he’s pretending, but it’s still annoying. “So I’m just supposed to get out of dangerous missions because I’m rich and have connections?”

“You’re supposed to get out of dangerous missions because…” Nadir stops himself. He won’t say, _because you aren’t supposed to leave me, because your life is too valuable, because I love you_. If Raoul cared about any of that he would have consulted Nadir sooner, and Nadir won’t throw himself at Raoul’s feet to talk him out of what is practically suicide when Raoul should have the common sense to decline missions like this without Nadir’s input.

But then, Raoul’s never had much of a self preservation instinct. He’s already demonstrated that by going out with Nadir when Nadir has a serial killer ex-lover. And by repeatedly taking every opportunity to jab at said serial killer. It’s a miracle Raoul isn’t dead already.

“It’s common sense,” Nadir says, throwing his hands up. “I guess I should know you don’t have any by now. Well, don’t expect me to come to your funeral. If your brother doesn’t have me kicked out, the guests will still wonder if I secretly murdered you, even if you died in the Antarctic. Besides I don’t plan on listening to the priest give a speech about your courageous sacrifice when…”

He stops because Raoul’s face is all twisted. Damn it. The boy is so easily upset.

“All right, if you die I’ll go to your funeral,” he says. “There. That better? But you still shouldn’t go.”

“Don’t you trust me?” Raoul says.

“What?”

“Nadir, we’ve known each other for five years. Don’t you trust me not to get myself killed by now? Do you still think of me as deadweight you have to drag along?”

“Obviously I won’t be there to drag you along in the Antarctic…”

“So you think I’ll get killed because you’re not there.” Raoul uncrosses and recrosses his legs. “I’ve faced Erik and survived, haven’t I? We’ve had a few adventures, too. Don’t you trust me to be…I don’t know, moderately competent?”

Nadir sighs.

Competent? Yes, Raoul knows how to get along. He’s often outmatched when they’re facing Erik, but that’s because Erik outmatches everyone. For someone with little survival instinct, Raoul does surprisingly well, and there’s no one Nadir would rather have at his back in a pinch. But.

“It’s not you that I don’t trust,” Nadir says. “It’s the world. It’s a cruel place. I’ve seen many people die, Raoul.” He’d even killed a fair number in his time as a police chief in Persia. And seen many more die at Erik’s hands. “Competent people. Brilliant people. But death comes for all. And you, my friend, actively seek it out.”

Raoul is silent for a moment. He stands, and gives Nadir a hug. “I do not seek death. But I won’t turn down the call to adventure.”

Nadir huffs. “ _You_ don’t seek death?”

Raoul shrugs. “Not anymore. I promise. But I said I would take this mission, and I will. I think it’s a worthy cause, exploration. Besides, you’ve seen half the world, and I’ve barely been out of France. You can’t begrudge me a little change of scenery.”

“Exploring the South Pole is not…”

Raoul kisses him, and he quiets.

“I will come home,” Raoul says. “Trust me.”

* * *

The mission lasts more than a year. Nadir gets letters about monthly, though they are inconsistent. They come in packets—Raoul writes one every day, so Nadir saves them up and tries to read them every night. Inevitably he can’t resist finishing the last five or so all at once, and he runs out for a while. When he does not have Raoul’s words with him, he feels bereft. And even when he has letters, Paris is a very lonely place without Raoul in the flesh.

But he waits. And he trusts.

Raoul comes home missing a toe from frostbite, but otherwise intact. Nadir meets him at the harbor. His mother and sisters and brother are all there too, so they can only greet each other as friends, but later, in private, they have a proper reunion.

“See? You had no reason to worry,” Raoul says with a laugh.

Nadir shakes his head. “You’ll turn my hair gray.”

“Nadir, we both know it’s gray already beneath all that dye.”

“Lies,” Nadir says. “You’ve fallen into bad habits in your time away, haven’t you? Don’t be rude.” He gives Raoul a mock stern look, and Raoul laughs again.

Raoul may leave his side again, he knows. He is not a sedentary creature. Understandable—Nadir was once the same way. He’ll have to put up with it and try to trust Raoul, but he likes it far better like this, when Raoul is home and things are quiet.

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for a prompt of "Daraoulga 'Don’t you trust me?” / “You’re not the one I don’t trust…'". The prompt originally came from a list of prompts for jealousy, but I suck at writing jealousy, so here. Have some lowkey angst instead.  
> Comments will be much appreciated :)


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